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Chapter 591: Dumbledore’s Invitation
🕑 Added 2025-03-08 13:23:24 +0000 UTCIt had been a week since the Weasley family left St. Catchpole Village.
To be honest, Kyle was still adjusting to the sudden silence. After being used to the constant chatter and chaos brought by Fred and George, the quiet felt strange.
Percy did return occasionally, but something seemed off about him. Whatever Fudge had told him recently had changed him. Percy now displayed open hostility toward anyone associated with Dumbledore, a stark departure from his usual self.
Kyle found little to discuss with Percy these days. If he had any free time, he preferred to focus on preparing for how to handle the Ministry.
...
On August 11th, Kyle was in his room, engrossed in reading the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery Act and the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy, when a sudden knock on the door downstairs startled him.
Kyle looked up, puzzled. It had been weeks since the Weasleys had left for Grimmauld Place, and unexpected visitors had become rare.
Cedric? he thought, standing up and peering out the window.
“Professor Dumbledore?” he called, surprised to see the headmaster standing outside.
“Oh, I was wondering if you’d gone to Grimmauld Place,” Dumbledore replied with a smile. “Might I trouble you for a cup of tea?”
“Of course, Professor. Just a moment.”
A few minutes later, Kyle placed a cup of black tea in front of Dumbledore, along with a jar of sugar and a plate of buttered biscuits from the kitchen.
“Thank you,” Dumbledore said warmly as he spooned sugar into his tea. “First, I must apologize, Kyle. When I explained to the others what happened on the mountain that day, I forgot to ask them to keep it confidential. The story has reached Fudge’s ears, and now the Ministry seems to have painted you as an enemy.”
“It’s all right, Professor,” Kyle said, shaking his head. He had known it would be impossible to keep everything secret for long. He hadn’t even tried to conceal it; the Ministry would have learned the details sooner or later.
The Death Eaters already knew too. With their connections in the Ministry, it would’ve been easy for them to stir up trouble.
“There’s another matter,” Dumbledore continued. “I’ll be attending Harry’s hearing tomorrow, so I won’t be able to accompany you to your interview. How about Minerva accompanies you? She’s an old friend of Madam Hopkirk’s.”
“No need,” Kyle replied. “It’s just a routine interview. There’s no need to go to so much trouble. My father will be there with me.”
“Minerva insisted,” Dumbledore said with a small smile. “As you’re still a student—even during the holidays—it’s the professors’ responsibility to ensure you aren’t treated unfairly. She’ll meet you in the Ministry lobby tomorrow morning. Keep an eye out for her.”
“All right,” Kyle agreed. He appreciated the thought. As Dumbledore had pointed out, the professors wouldn’t allow their students to face undue scrutiny.
“Is that all you came for, Professor?”
“That was the most pressing matter,” Dumbledore said, taking a sip of his tea. “There’s also something else. You may have already heard from Dugald, but I’m planning a meeting in my personal capacity to share the truth with those willing to believe us, so they aren’t misled by lies.”
Kyle nodded. “Mr. McPhail mentioned it in his letter.”
“The meeting will be on August 20th in Hogsmeade,” Dumbledore explained. “If you’re free, I’d like you to attend.”
“Me? Can I come?” Kyle asked curiously. Everyone Dumbledore invited was likely a prominent figure in the wizarding world. Could someone like him, a sixth-year student, really join them?
“There’s no one more suitable,” Dumbledore said with a knowing smile. “I was going to send you an invitation directly but thought it best to ask first, in case you had other plans.”
“I’d be happy to attend,” Kyle said.
“Excellent. I’ll come to fetch you then,” Dumbledore said, standing. “But now, I must be off to Little Whinging to prepare for tomorrow’s hearing.”
“Do you need any help?” Kyle asked.
“Thank you, but it’s a simple matter of gathering information—just asking around to see if anyone witnessed the incident. I’ll manage on my own.”
Dumbledore set his teacup down and smiled. “Thank you for the tea and biscuits. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
With a faint pop, Dumbledore Disapparated, leaving Kyle alone in the living room.
Kyle had wanted to bring up other matters—such as concerns about the Ministry and Fudge—but Dumbledore had left before he could. During their brief conversation, Kyle had noticed that Dumbledore seemed unusually pressed for time. Though his tone had been calm, he drank his tea quickly, finishing it in just a few gulps, something he rarely did at school.
It was clear that Dumbledore hadn’t intended to stay long. But with Voldemort’s return, Kyle supposed the headmaster had little free time this month. There would be other opportunities to talk—perhaps at the meeting in Hogsmeade.
Kyle went back to his room, reflecting on the visit. He’d expected Dumbledore to invite him to join the Order of the Phoenix, but the topic hadn’t even come up. It seemed Dumbledore, like Mrs. Weasley, was hesitant to involve underage wizards.
That evening, Chris returned home after dark, his steps lighter than usual as he entered the house.
“Don’t worry,” Chris said with a grin. “I went to the Leaky Cauldron, and old Tom told me someone had already spoken with him. He’s agreed to go to the Ministry with Mafalda tomorrow to explain everything."
“Tom admitted he was baffled. He said he’d never heard of anyone being warned by the Ministry for using a spell close to the Leaky Cauldron before this.”
“That’s good to hear,” Kyle said, relieved. “How should I get there tomorrow? Will I go with you, or should I meet you at the agreed time?”
“Come with me,” Chris said. “We’ll leave a little earlier. Your mother needs to see you about something before your interview. We’ll go to the Department of Mysteries first, then to the Improper Use of Magic Office.”
“The Department of Mysteries? Why?” Kyle asked, confused.
“To be honest, I don’t know,” Chris admitted. “I got a note from your mother before I left work, saying to bring you there as soon as possible. It didn’t explain anything else.”
“But doesn’t the Department of Mysteries have restricted access?” Kyle asked. “Can we even get in?”
“Not we, just you,” Chris clarified. “Your mother will take you there herself. Once that’s done, I’ll take you to your interview.”
